This invention relates to slurry transport systems, and more particularly it is cnncerned with a slurry transport system capable of using two pipelines arranged parallel to each other alternately for the purposes of transporting a slurry and returning water by switching the pipelines.
In prior art slurry transport systems each employ a slurry transport pipeline for transporting a slurry therethrough and a return water pipeline for returning water removed from solids contained in the slurry after the slurry has reached its destination, with the slurry transport pipeline and the return water pipeline being usually constructed in a manner so as to use them exclusively for transporting a slurry and returning water which is a transport medium. Some disadvantages have been associated with the slurry transport systems of this construction.
More particularly, when the transport pipeline is blocked and transport of a slurry becomes impossible to perform, it would be impossible to transport a slurry until the blockage is removed and a normal condition is restored to the slurry transport pipeline.
Additionally in the prior art systems a return water pipeline is necessary for collecting the water after transmitting the slurry and returning it to its original point.
Furthermore, greater wear is caused on the transport pipeline for transporting the slurry than on the return water pipeline for returning the water because of the solids contained in the slurry. Thus, when the return water pipeline is used for transporting the slurry in place of the slurry transport pipeline reduced in wall thickness due to wear after several years in service, rearranging of pipelines would make it necessary to perform additional pipe laying operations.
Moreover, when abnormal conditions are sensed in the slurry transport pipeline which might cause blockage of the pipeline while a slurry transporting operation is being performed, slurry transport would have to be interrupted until the abnormal conditions in the pipeline are removed.
Also, when an attempt is made to flush water through the transport pipeline to remove solids accumulated on the bottom thereof which might cause blockage of the pipeline to occur, it would be necessary to interrupt the slurry transporting operation. The water flushed through the pipeline usually flows in the same direction as a slurry transported therethrough, so that the flushing would have little effect on these solids which are accumulated in positions from which they are difficulty removed by the flowing water.